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How Does Steinbeck Present The Theme Of Loneliness In Of Mice And Men

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The Inconspicuous Destruction of Isolation ‘“But not us! An' why? Because ... because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that's why”’ (Steinbeck 14). In the book, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck tells the journey of two best friends, Lennie and George, as they chase the American Dream. The author uses their relationship to highlight the importance of friendship in overcoming hardships. Throughout this novel, Steinbeck explores the theme of loneliness in a time when it is prevalent due to the Great Depression. Crooks personifies these themes through the physical segregation and emotional isolation he experiences, which ultimately leads to a decline in his mental health. Through Crooks' experiences, Steinbeck highlights …show more content…

The other workers segregate Crooks and he has to live by himself in the barn. Crooks’ living space can be described as “On one side of the little room … a narrow plank door leading into the barn. Crooks’ bunk was a long box filled with straw on which his blankets were flung” (Steinbeck 66). This quote describes Crooks’ living space as a small, cramped room lacking comfort and basic amenities. In addition to being separated from the other workers, Crooks also lives in a significantly less comfortable space than the other workers who share a communal bunkhouse. This description emphasizes the contrast between Crooks’ living conditions and those of the other workers and further highlights the discrimination and mistreatment he faces. In his bunkhouse, he tells Lennie, “‘I ain't wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain't wanted in my room”’ (Steinbeck 68). This quote shows the hostility that has developed between Crooks and the other workers on the ranch due to the lack of respect and equality between them. This hostility quickly leads to isolation for Crooks and makes him feel less wanted than the other workers on the ranch. The feeling of unworthiness is a symptom of low self-esteem, which directly correlates with his poor mental …show more content…

When Lennie enters his bunkhouse, Crooks say’s, “‘You got no right to come in my room”’ (Steinbeck 68). This quote shows how the other workers do not respect Crooks’ personal space or belonging. They do not see him as an equal, which dehumanizes him and reinforces the racism that’s transpiring during this time. This continuous dehumanization has caused Crooks to “He has reduced himself to nothing. There was no personality, no ego–nothing to arouse either like or dislike” (Steinbeck 68). The quote shows that the other workers have dehumanized Crooks so much that he has lost his sense of self. Crooks has been reduced to merely a tool on the ranch rather than a person with feelings and

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1547 Words | 7 Pages

Crooks is portrayed as different from everybody else, not just because of his race, but also because of his disabilities. He gets the name “Crooks” because of his crooked back. His back makes him disabled, which results in him being looked down on as “not capable” as the others. As a result, this is another illustration of how he is separated and looked down upon by the other workers that cause him to be lonely and isolated from the rest of the farmers. “‘You got no right to come into my room.

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921 Words | 4 Pages

Ultimately, Steinbeck uses tone and language to prove that people who try to achieve their aspirations are filled with traits like hope or passion. Steinbeck expresses another idea in this novel, which explains that harsh reality will always be present in one's life. Crooks is an African American stable hand with a crooked back who lives in the shed located in the barn on the ranch. One day, Lennie invites himself into Crook's home and they start chatting with each other. They also talked about Crooks as a kid.

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758 Words | 4 Pages

Crooks is an important character in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. Crooks’ character is named for his crooked back caused by being kicked by a horse at the stable in which he works. He lives by himself on the ranch and Steinbeck uses his character to demonstrate discrimination through Crooks’ struggle with being separated from others on the ranch, his ironic enjoyment of power, and his inconsistent view of himself in society. There are times in life when we meet people who seem so shut off from the rest of the world that we wonder how they continue.

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912 Words | 4 Pages

Crooks’ bunk is cramped and confined, while the bunk for everyone else is much more comfortable. Steinbeck uses imagery to express this, writing, “Crooks, the Negro stable buck, had his bunk in the harness room; a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn” (Steinbeck 66). In addition to being isolated socially, Crooks is physically secluded, pushed to the side of the barn, due to his race. Steinbeck describes his home as “a little shed” and off the side of the wall, showing it is concealed. Imagery is also used to show the isolation of Curley’s wife.

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281 Words | 2 Pages

Crooks, the only dark-skinned individual placed on the ranch, endures malice from the others making swirls of loathing, anguish and other emotions course through him. The 1930s were filled with brazen racism and Crooks felt the brunt violence of these horrific actions. On page 68 of Steinbeck’s novel, Lennie asks Crooks why Crooks isn’t wanted, and he responds with, “ ‘Cause I’m black.” Loneliness and bigotry creates a sense of despondency in Crooks life; moreover, he also explains towards Lennie that those without nobody become nuts, and he also confesses his thoughts of how he may be seeing objects only alive within his own head. While conversing with Lennie “Crooks’ face lighted with pleasure in his torture” (71), and it justifies what being

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997 Words | 4 Pages

Crooks is an African American man who has a bad back and was shunned away into the harness room on the ranch. He has too many personal possessions to ever want to leave but still has no reason to stay, he can’t work and nobody wants him to anyway. Especially in this time period, black people were not thought of as people, they did not have as many opportunities as white people did. When Lennie accidentally intrudes him, he shows how much his life has revolved over the color of his skin, “‘Why ain’t you wanted?’ Lennie asked.

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1143 Words | 5 Pages

Throughout the novel, Steinbeck prioritizes the thought of characters dealing with a sense of loneliness. Crooks, Candy, Curley’s wife, and Lennie all rely on smaller less meaningful things to make up for not fitting in with the rest. While characters try to fill the void of companionship, we understand how hard

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880 Words | 4 Pages

Steinbeck displays through the dialogue and characterizations that these characters experience isolation because of both social barriers and personal choice. Crooks being an African-American on the ranch, full of whites, struggles racially which causes his withdrawal from the society. Crooks explains to Lennie his when he’s accompanied by him “ A guy goes nuts if he ain 't got nobody. Don 't make no difference who the guy is long’s

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936 Words | 4 Pages

(Steinbeck 68). This quote explains to the reader that since Crooks is black the others on the ranch wont allow him to accompany them. Crooks had gotten used to being alone and separated from the other characters on the ranch. The novella strongly displays the intolerance of characters for differences that the characters can

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968 Words | 4 Pages

He is told that he “stinks” because he is black, and they do not let him be around the others because of that. Crooks has absolutely no social power on the ranch because he is constantly treated differently and discriminated against. Crooks also says, “You got no right to come in my room... Nobody got any right in here but me.” (Steinbeck 66).

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400 Words | 2 Pages

Contrasting Crooks’ somber attitude with Lennie's undying innocence makes it clear where Steinbeck stands on the matter. For example, Crooks is temporarily seduced by the idea of Lennie and George’s farm, but is almost immediately brought down by reality, and Curley’s wife. She brings him back to the reality of a black man at the time, saying: "Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny" (39). After this event occurs, Crooks disregards his rare idealism, saying that he “wouldn’ want to go no place like that” (41).

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435 Words | 2 Pages

The reader is led to believe this through the author's quotes when Lennie asks, "Why ain't you wanted?”, and Crooks responds, "Because I'm black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me.” (P. 68). The reader understands that Crooks is not accepted by the other workers on the ranch because of his race.

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626 Words | 3 Pages

If you always focus on the negative factors, or what you don’t have in your life, loneliness or depression is inevitable. John Steinbeck focuses on showing this throughout his novel, specifically with a few certain characters. Crooks is a negro stable buck with a crooked back, he is older and is the only negro on the ranch. Throughout the novel Crooks is portrayed as unwanted, when Lennie goes and talks to Crooks, that’s when all of his true feelings come out to the open.

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833 Words | 4 Pages

Crooks was an African American, which resulted in him being shut out and forced to live in the barn, while the rest of the ranch hands cozied up in the bunkhouse. This forced isolation and hostility towards Crooks made him grow sour, defensive, and lonely. Crooks aspired to be seen as an equal and “go into the bunkhouse and play rummy” with the other boys (72 c). However, once Lennie’s kindness seeped into him, Crooks started to believe that a better, brighter future was possible for him; Crooks even volunteered to “lend a hand” on George and Lennie’s ranch and “work for nothing-just his keep” when he heard about the opportunity (76 c). Then Curley’s wife crushed Crooks’ new-found dream and confidence with the harsh reminder that his racial status made him “inferior” and because of this his life was meaningless in comparison.

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698 Words | 3 Pages

Crooks is a black man who isn’t allowed to be in the house with all the men. The men won’t allow him to come in because of his color. Crooks is lonely and he doesn’t bother the men. One night Lennie came in and was talking to Crooks and telling them about the farm that they were going to get. For once Crooks thought well maybe I won’t be lonely I could go with them and don’t have worry about none of them.

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